Croatian Croatia, Serbia

Da je baba bila muško, zvala bi se Duško

Proverb USED Frequently BY Everyone

(If grandma had been a man, her name would have been Duško) • It's used to prevent regret and overanalyzing past events over which we no longer have influence, as they have already occurred. Duško is a male name in Croatia.

"Da sam marljivije učio, do sada sam mogao diplomirati s odličnim uspjehom i potencijalno si osigurati bolje plaćen posao." "Eh, da je baba bila muško, zvala bi se Duško."

"If I had studied harder, I could have graduated with honors by now and potentially secured a better paying job." "Eh, if grandma was male, her name would be Duško."

Serbian Serbia

bre

Slang USED Very frequently BY Everybody

It's used to emphasize something or warn someone not to do something.

"Gde si, bre? Kako si?" [emphasis] "Ej, bre, ne diraj to!" [warning]

Serbian Serbia

inat

Word USED Frequently BY Everybody

It can be translated as spite, but the meaning is not quite the same. It's used when you want to say you're doing something (or not) deliberately that someone told you to do.

"Ovo dete mi tera inat svaki dan! Kažem mu da ne dira šporet, a onda on namerno suprotno radi i smeje mi se u facu!"

"This kid spites me every day! I tell him not to touch the stove, and then he deliberately does the opposite and laughs in my face!"

Serbian Serbia

inat

Word USED Frequently BY Everybody

(in spite) • Usually translated as "in spite", however, it has a positive meaning. It means persisting and succeeding in something against all odds. Like a mother shouting at their child for bad behavior, but secretly being proud of the kid for whatever it is he or she did. It is taking the wrong road, but ploughing forward regardless. It's the ultimate middle finger to seemingly insurmountable odds.

"Inat!"

"In spite!"

Serbian Serbia

Bogu iza nogu

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(behind God's legs) • Describes something that is extremely far away in a comical way.

"Nikada ne bih putovao za Japan, to je Bogu iza nogu."

"I'd never travel to Japan, it's behind God’s legs."

Croatian Croatia and Serbia

Buljiš kao tele u šarena vrata

Expression USED Frequently BY Croatian

(You’re staring like a calf at a coulorful door ) • When someone is staring at something or at someone who said something and is either confused or doesn’t understand it. It is used to refer to other people and not at oneself. it's said in a joking way usually and people laugh about it. Rarely is it used passive-aggressively.

-“zašto buljiš ko tele u šarena vrata?” -“neznam nije mi jasno šta si reko. ”

-“Why Are you staring like a calf at a colorful door?” -“I don't know, I don't really get what you said.”

Serbian Serbian speaking countries

u laži su kratke noge

Proverb USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(a lie has short legs) • It's used to express the fact that every lie will be revealed in the end. A person with short legs won't go far and so won't any lies.

"On neće moći ovo da krije još dugo. U laži su kratke noge."

"He won't be able to hide this for much longer. A lie has short legs."

Serbian Serbian speaking countries

pijan kao majka

Expression USED Frequently BY Older as well as young people

(drunk as a Mother) • It's often used to describe a very drunk or intoxicated person who can't even stand or walk properly. It was made a long time ago when pregnant women used to drink alcohol to ease their pain when giving birth.

"Došao je sinoć kući pijan kao majka. Nije mogao na nogama da stoji."

"He came home last night drunk as a Mother. He couldn't stand on his own feet."

Croatian Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro

izvoditi bijesne gliste

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Parents

(performing wild earthworms) • Inadequate behavior by children who are most likely very creative, too.

"Prestani izvoditi bijesne gliste. Primi se nečeg pametnog."

"Stop performing wild earthworms. Rather do something useful."

Serbian Serbia

Vukojebina

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(where wolves mate) • It's used to refer to a place in the middle of nowhere or far away.

"Nalazimo se u vukojebini."

"We are where wolves mate."

Serbian Serbia

možeš na hleb da ga namažeš

Expression USED On Rare Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(you could spread him on bread) • Someone that is too nice and sometimes even easily manipulated.

''He is so nice, you could spread him on bread.''

''Toliko je dobar, možeš na hleb da ga namažeš.''

Serbian Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro

iz pičke materine

Expression USED On Occasion BY People from the Balkans, almost every generation

(from mothers vagina ) • Used when someone lives or comes from a far city, village or country or when you want to say that someone or something is far away.

“Odakle je?” “Ma iz pičke materine!”

“Where is he from?” “From mother’s vagina!”

Serbian Serbia

rušiti sneška

Expression USED Frequently BY Some People

(to tear down the snowman) • It means to disappoint someone by telling them the truth or the opposite of what they would like to hear.

''Nadam se da će profesor odložiti test ako ga lepo zamolimo." " Ne bih da ti rušim sneška, ali nema šanse! "

"I hope the professor will reschedule the test if we ask him nicely." "I hate to tear down your snowman, but no way that's gonna happen!"

Serbian Serbian speaking countries

bogu iza nogu

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(behind god's legs) • Used as a location of a faraway place. Also in the context of having to travel to the other side of the same city to do a chore if it's not easy to reach from your location.

"Poštar mi nije isporučio paket na kućnu adresu. Sad moram da idem u glavnu ispostavu, bogu iza nogu."

"Postman hasn't delivered my package at home. Now I have to go pick it up at the main logistics center, behind god's legs."

Serbian Serbia

pičkovac

Slang USED On Rare Occasion BY Adults

Pičkovac arises from the word pička which means pussy. Pičkovac indicates a faraway place or a place that is hard to reach.

''Ma on dolazi iz pičkovca, čekaćemo ga još.''

''He is coming from pičkovac, we will wait for him more.''

Serbian Serbia

vukojebina

Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(noun) • (where wolves go to mate) • A very remote and unknown place or in the middle of nowhere.

"U sred smo neke vukojebine."

"We're in the middle of somewhere where wolves go to mate."

Serbian Serbia

vukojebina

Slang USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(where wolves mate) • A faraway land or town. Place deserted or forgotten.

"Žive u nekoj vukojebini."

"They live in a place where wolves mate."

Serbian Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro

kao budali šamar

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(like a slap to the fool) • Used to refer to something that perfectly fits, something that is perfect match.

"Godišnji odmor bi mi legao kao budali šamar."

"Holiday leave would lay to me like a slap to the fool."

Serbian Serbia

gari

Slang USED Very frequently BY Young People

(n.) • It knows no gender, it can be used both for guys and girls, like buddy or mate.

"De si gari, šta ima?"

"Hey mate, what's up?"

Serbian Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro

boli me uvo

Expression USED Frequently BY Some People

(my ear hurts) • Used to express how you don't care about something.

"Boli me uvo za ovaj posao."

"My ear hurts for this job."